Police Use Department Wish List When Deciding Which Assets to Seize

The New York Times ^ | 09 Nov 2014 | SHAILA DEWAN

[Theoria]

The seminars offered police officers some useful tips on seizing property from suspected criminals. Don’t bother with jewelry (too hard to dispose of) and computers (“everybody’s got one already”), the experts counseled. Do go after flat screen TVs, cash and cars. Especially nice cars.

In one seminar, captured on video in September, Harry S. Connelly Jr., the city attorney of Las Cruces, N.M., called them “little goodies.” And then Mr. Connelly described how officers in his jurisdiction could not wait to seize one man’s “exotic vehicle” outside a local bar.

“A guy drives up in a 2008 Mercedes, brand new,” he explained. “Just so beautiful, I mean, the cops were undercover and they were just like ‘Ahhhh.’ And he gets out and he’s just reeking of alcohol. And it’s like, ‘Oh, my goodness, we can hardly wait.’ ”

Mr. Connelly was talking about a practice known as civil asset forfeiture, which allows the government, without ever securing a conviction or even filing a criminal charge, to seize property suspected of having ties to crime. The practice, expanded during the war on drugs in the 1980s, has become a staple of law enforcement agencies because it helps finance their work. It is difficult to tell how much has been seized by state and local law enforcement, but under a Justice Department program, the value of assets seized has ballooned to $4.3 billion in the 2012 fiscal year from $407 million in 2001. Much of that money is shared with local police forces.

[Buckeye McFrog]

For the first time in around 75 years, the NY Times has done a public service here.

[GOPJ]

Here's the story the effing New York Times should be covering: Caught on Camera: Obamacare Architect Admits Deceiving Americans to Pass Law...

[dware]

Jackboots gonna jackboot. Nothing to see here. You must be on of those evil “cop haters”, that’s all. /s

[GOPJ]

LOL - yeah EXCEPT the Times is objecting to the story... Remember the story of the two monsters who tortured a young child before he died... a three year old... Everything those two monsters own should be confiscated and what can't be sold should be burned.

[donna]

I remember a time when cops could not seize anything and there was no such thing as a hate crime and judges did not legislate.

[kosciusko51]

and judges did not legislate.

So you were born before Oliver Wendell Holmes was a judge? j/k

[familyop]

Toddler critically injured by ‘flash bang’ during police search
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3161587/posts

[varyouga]

The WOD allows cops to drop a coin-sized package anywhere to take a target's property and take their freedom. Then they laugh as the target is forced to prove they are NOT a dealer and prove the cash they hold is NOT from dealing.

How are so-called conservatives are OK with this legal barn door?

Coming up next - Mandatory government ID to use the internet “to stop pedophiles and protect our children”.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2095772/Cowboy-cop-Jason-Arbeeny-planted-crack-couples-car-seat-escapes-jail.html

[HiTech RedNeck]

The most disgusting thing about this: for actual hard core drug dealers, this is a stinking TAX that is too easy for authorities to take and then look the other way. They “look tough” but actually are winking and nodding.

If it were forced to go through court, that would stop most such corruption cold.

[GeronL]

pure theft

We need to change laws. The Police Department should not benefit from seizures and seizures should be done in conjunction with a real court.

[GeronL]

CAF should be outlawed. It’s just theft.

[HiTech RedNeck]

And isn’t the Alien and Sedition act even older when it met a court death?

As with many things, sometimes the answers aren’t easy.

[GeronL]

99% or more of those raids are unnecessary

[familyop]

"Here's the story the effing New York Times should be covering: Caught on Camera: Obamacare Architect Admits Deceiving Americans to Pass Law..."

Former Cop Headed to Trial for Raping a Child While Other Officers Watched
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3222652/posts

Officer charged with abuse(got a 15year old drunk and molested her)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496872/posts

[Yashcheritsiy]

How are so-called conservatives are OK with this legal barn door?

'Cause it da po-lice, and we all know dey can do no wrong.

[OneWingedShark]

NM Ping.

In one seminar, captured on video in September, Harry S. Connelly Jr., the city attorney of Las Cruces, N.M., called them “little goodies.” And then Mr. Connelly described how officers in his jurisdiction could not wait to seize one man’s “exotic vehicle” outside a local bar.

---

NM list PING!

I may not PING for all New Mexico articles. To see New Mexico articles by topic click here: New Mexico Topics

To see NM articles by keyword, click here: New Mexico Keywords

To see the NM Message Page, click here: New Mexico Messages

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
(For ABQ Journal articles requiring a subscription, scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the article for free after answering a question or watching a short video commercial.)

[relictele]

They’re the thin blue line between private property and privateering.

[Yashcheritsiy]

Former Cop Headed to Trial for Raping a Child While Other Officers Watched

This is the kind of thing that is eventually going to get police officers strung up.

[MeganC]

They’re the thin blue line between private property and privateering.

No, anymore too many of our police agencies are just become unchecked organized crime organizations.